Label dispenser



Oct. 5, 1943. c. A. FLooD LABEL DISPENSER v Patented Oct. 5, 1943 LABEL DISPENSER Carl A. Flood, Framingham, Mass., assignor to Dennison Manufacturing Company, Framingham, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application January 2, 1941, Serial No. 372,861

8 Claims.

'I'his invention relates to devices for dispensing labels which are adhesively mounted in a row on one side of an elongate backing strip.

Objects of this invention are to provide improved dispensingv devices which are simple and economical in construction, which are eicient and reliable in use, which are easy to load, which extend the labels outwardly from the container and away from the backing strip so that they' may be readily grasped for use, and generally to improve devices of the type referred to.

In its principal aspect the present invention involves an apparatus for dispensing labels which are adhesively mounted, with peelable adhesive such as pressure-sensitive or thermoplastic adhe'- sive, in a row on a backing strip divided longitudinally into two ribbons. According to this invention one ribbon is peeled from the successive labels independently of the other ribbon and in the preferred forms of the invention the two ribbons are peeled from the labels successively with the lines of cleavage between the labels andthe two ribbons respectively out of alignment with each other. While this can be accomplished in various ways, some of which are disclosed in my copending application Sr. No. 372,862, flied on even date herewith, Patent No. 2,289,642 issued July 14, 1942, the preferred construction of this application involvesedges meetings at an angle, in combination with a pair of rollers or l other means for feeding the two ribbons over the edges respectivelyLthereby to'project the labels from the backing at the edges. By arranging the edges so as to intersecteach other at an angle substantially at the junction between the two ribbons, the labels are projected from the ribbons as the ribbons are drawn over the edges with far less tendency for the labels to follow the backing around the edges than would be the case if the edges were arranged in alignment with each other.

In a more specific aspect the invention involves a.' roll of the. label strip on the cover of the device and also mounting the feed rollers on the cover, so that the backing ribbons can readily be threaded through the cover and over the feed rollers while the cover is removed from the device.

While the cover may be hinged or otherwise removably connected to the device it is preferably arranged to be lifted entirely free of the device for loading and threading purposes.

In another aspect the invention involves a device having space to receive a supply of the label strips and a space to receive the backing strip after it is peeled from the labels, the twov spaces preferably comprising separate compartments,

and in the preferred embodiment the compartment for the label roll is in the cover and the compartment for the waste backing ribbons is in the space.

In still another aspect the invention involves feeding the backing ribbons through the cover and along branched paths back into the device, .so as to present the labels outside the device and to facilitate separation of the labels from the backing. While the branched paths may come together again, as disclosed for examplein said copending application flied on even date herewith, in the preferred embodiment herein disclosed they lead into the waste compartment separately.

For the purpose of illustration a typical lemi bodiment of the invention is shown in the ac.

companying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a top plan view of one, embodiment;

Fig. 2 is a section online 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail elevation of one part;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of one part of the cover looking down from theline 6-1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view-of thev other part of the cover, looking up from the line 6-1 in Fig. 2 and showing a portion of the cover in section; and

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the label strip shown in Figs. 1 and 2, illustrating how the labels are separated from the backing ribbons.

'The particular embodiment of the invention means of normally tacky adhesive which readily /r peels from the backing ribbons but which ad-f heres firmly to the labels.

The compartment 4 of the cover is open at the top and partially closing this openingis a guide Aplate 6 which is mounted on the cover by ears l extending through slots 8 ofthe cover with their hooked ends 9 underlying the top of the cover, together with a lstud I i interengaging with a bayonet slot I2 in the cover. The plate 6 is provided at the sides. with overhanging flanges I3 'wise between .the rollers.

' which have extensions il near their rearward grasped: between the unime mi anger and removed from; the device. The lateral iianges i3 serve to keepl the label strip centered on the plate t as the strip feeds alarm the plate,so thatthe junction C between the two backing ribbons l13 B" is always over the apex of the V-shaped peeling edge Il. To te label strips of diffrent widths,` each device may be provided l a setof platea Il having dilerent widths be-k unen` the flangesy lili. each plate having its ears l and stud H spaced! to fit the device.

The mechanism for feeding each backing ribbr overl the, edge iii and into the container I comprises afeedmller 2i mounted on a shaft 22 having v cath upon one of which is mounted a gear wheel 23. To press the backing ribbon against the feed roller tight enough for feeding purposes the pressure roller 2G. mounted m a U-shaped frame 21, presses against the backing ribbm in response to a leaf spring 28y engaging the rear edges oi' the two legs of the U-shaped frame 21 (llig. 4). The legs of the U-shaped frame are provided with projections 2l extending intorecesses Il inthe partlcf the cover and the upper end of the frame 21 projects through the topof the cover. l'Ihus' by rearward pressure on the projecting upper end of the frame Il pressure miler 2l may be moved away from the feed roller 2i to facilitate threading the backing ribbons between the rollers. The gears of lthe two feed rollers are conjointly driven in unison by means of gears Ii fast to a sleeve 32 and-a crank 23 extending outside the device to a handle 3l. As shown in Fig. 1 the crank 88 carries a pin Il which engages with any one of a series of hooked recesses in the end of the sleeve l2. the pin being yieldingly held in.

a recess by a spring 2|. Thus the crank-can rotate the gears il only in one direction, counterclockwise in Fig. 2.

The two parts 2 and l of the cover meet at the plane 6--1 (Pig. 2) and they are held together by screws 31 extending through openings 39' in the lower part I and threading into recesses 3| in the upper part 2. AIn their opposed faces the two parts of the cover are provided with res cesses to receive the aforesaid mechanism for pulling the two backing ribbons back into the device. For the feed rollers 22 the cover is provided with openings CI and Il' extending all the way through the parts 2 and l. these openings having slots l! and l2' communicating with the outer edges of the parts so that the backing ribbons may be threaded between the rollers 2| and 2C edgewise of the ribbons, thereby avoiding the trouble of pushing the nimsy ribbons end- The pressure roller assemblies iit into the recesses Il and the recesses Il' in the lower part l being Provided with the aforesaid openings u to receive the Il and 41' to receive the gears 23 and 3|. The parts are also provided with semi-cylindrical recesses 48, Il', Il and Il' to fit around the sleeve 32 andthe crank Il respectively.

To load the device of Figs. i to 'I the cover is removed from the base and the plate t is removed from the cover. After dropping a roll of label material into the compartment l the plate l is replaced, the label strip is threaded under the overhanging flanges it and Il and the backing ribbons are respective!! threaded4 edgewise through the slots 42 and( 02 between the feed and pressure rollers as aforesaid. 'I'hen after replacing the cover the device is ready to `operate by turning the crank and picking off the labels as they-are projected from the device. Ordinarily the crank is turned far enough to project the foremost label almost clear of the backing ribbons, after which the feeding is stopped until the foremost label has been completely peeled from the backing ribbons by hand.

It should be understood that the present disthat this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. For dispensing labels lfrom a backing strip longitudinally divided into two ribbons upon which the -label material is mounted with peelable adhesive, a device comprising a base, a cover removably mounted on the base, the cover having edges meeting at an angle, means for Supporting a roll of the adhesively united label and backing material on the ver, and means for feeding said ribbons from the rollover said edges respectively and thence back into the device, thereby to project the labels from the backing at said edges.

2. For dispensing labels from a backing strip longitudinally divided into two ribbons upon which the label material is mounted with peelable adhesive, a device comprising a base, a cover removably mounted on the base. the cover having edges meeting at an angle, means for supporting a roll of the adhesively united label and backing material on the cover. and a pair of feed rollers mounted on the cover for feeding said ribbons from the roll over said edges respectively and thence back into the device. thereby to project the labels from the backing at said edges.

3. For dispensing sheet material from a backing strip upon which the material is mounted with peelable adhesive, a dispensing device 'comprislng a container for the material, a guide for guiding the material as it feeds from the container, the guide having a wall-with an edge over which the strip may be pulled to peel it from the material, the guide extending along one side of the pathl of the sheet material with a part extending around the edge of the material and thence along the other side, means for guiding the strip in a direction approximately parallel with said wall after it passes over said edge and means for mounting the guide on the container.

4. For dispensing sheet material from a backing strip upon which the material is mounted with peelable adhesive, a dispensing device comprising a container for the material, a guide for guiding the material as it feeds from the container, the guide having an edge over which the strip may be pulled to peel it from the material, the guide extending along one side of the path of the sheet material with a part extendingaround the edge oi' the material and thence along the other side, means for grinding'the strip after it passes over ing strip upon which said edge, and means 'for detachably mounting the guide on the container so that a pull on said strip tends to hold the guide in place, said last means including interfitting parts which slide into intertting relation in response to said pull.

5. For dispensing sheet material from a backthe material is mounted -with peelable adhesive, a dispensing device comprising a container for the material, a guide for guiding the material as it` feeds from the container, the guide having an edge over which the strip may be pulled to peel it from the material, the guide extending along one side of the path of the sheet material with a part extending around the edge of the material and thence along the other side, and means for detachably mounting the guide on the container, said means including an integral hook for interengagement with the container so that a pull on said strip tends to hold the guide in place, said hook sliding into engagement with the container in the direction of said pull.

6. In a dispenser for a peelable label strip having a backing which is split into two ribbons, the combination of a container .for the strip, a guide for guiding the strip as it feeds from the container, the guide extending along the backing side of the strip and overhanging the other side of the strip, the guide also having a,plurality of edges for peelingsaid ribbons from the labels, the edges being out of alignment with each other, and means for 'mounting the guide on the container.

'1. In a dispenser for a peelable label Strip having a backing which is split into two ribbons, the combination of a container for the strip, a guide for guiding the of the strip and overhanging the other side of the strip, the guide also having a plurality of edges for peeling said ribbons from the labels, the edges being out of alignment with each other, means fory drawing the ribbons over the edges respectively, and means for mounting the guide on the container.

8. In a dispenser for a peelable label strip having a backing which is split into two ribbons, the combination of a container for the strip, a guide for guiding the strip as it feeds from the container, the guide extending along the backing sidev of the strip and overhanging the other side of the strip, the Lguide also having a ,plurality of edges for peeling said ribbons from the labels, the edges diver-ging from each other, lmeans for drawing the ribbons over the edges respectively and thence laterally in opposite directions, and means for mounting the guide on the'container.

. CARL A. FLOOD.

strip as it feeds from the con- V v tainer, the guide extending alongthe'backing side 

